Shirley Shultz Myers, Ph.D., is a professor of English and Director of the GU Honors Program. Her doctoral work was on the contemporary playwright Tom Stoppard, but, with an undergraduate major in Philosophy and wide-ranging interests in important contemporary ideas or discoveries and intellectual history, she understands that she has practiced for her current role as an interdisciplinarian. A complementary interest is critical thinking. She has presented and published in all of these areas. In addition, her long time interest in contemporary psychoanalytic theory as well as a certificate of both study and clinical training in psychodynamic psychology contributed to her work on hearing children of deaf adults. An interpreter for many years, Dr. Myers also has re-tooled herself or received training in journalism and emotional intelligence.

Since 2001, Dr. Myers has served as Director of the GU Honors Program; in this capacity she has carried out the Honors mission of innovating ideas at Gallaudet, including summer reading, the first three years of faculty development in interdisciplinary studies, NSO retreat, special regalia and recognition for University Honors graduates and various recruiting and retention ideas, and an Honors Program Specialist position focused on the capstone, student/Honors community development, and assessment. Most recently, she has helped realize a re-configuration of scholarships to attract and retain Gallaudet University Honors students. During her tenure, she is most proud of the greater rigor in Honors education and the growing proportion of Honors students in the entering class of new students.